The invention relates to computer database and interactive server systems, and more particularly to systems including multiple user Internet based interfaces. The interface structure of the invention permits different categories of users to contribute and control different types of source data, while adding informational value to data contributed by other users. The system provides a secure repository for verified and authenticated data, and provides a system of controlled access to the repository. The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a data verification and certification system which in a principal embodiment is useful to create a data bank to match job seekers with potential employers based on verified resume data and employer specified search criteria
In the field of employee recruitment and staffing, there is a tremendous need in the industry to obtain, screen and verify data on job seekers, and to match qualifications with job requirements. Such data includes educational history, employment experience, and basic personal information. Traditionally, this has been done almost entirely by paper-based manual means, such as newspaper advertising, unverified resumes, telephone or mail contact by prospective employers to the apparent sources to verify resume data, and the like. The traditional job search and hiring process is extremely time-consuming and costly to all parties involved. In large companies, the employment applicant verification task is a major assignment and cost of the HR departments.
In addition, the information obtained through unverified job seeker""s resumes is often of uncertain reliability. It has been estimated that nearly one-half of all resumes submitted in the hiring process have substantial errors or misrepresentations of fact, or outright fraud, which tends to distort the hiring decision making process. Newspapers frequently report of cases of false doctors, lawyers, brokers, teachers, executives, or those who have misrepresented or xe2x80x9cpuffedxe2x80x9d their experience or education. The more sensitive the job, the more difficult and time consuming the verification process becomes.
While it is possible for an employer to verify resume data, this an expensive process and is inherently wasteful, in that the labor cost of verifying data is lost if the employee is not hired, and the verification work-product (verified resume data) is not available to other potential employers.
Computer and Internet methods are being used to reduce the costs and time consumed in the recruitment and hiring process. For example, many larger employers maintain job opportunity websites, and encourage resume submittal from job seekers by e-mail and electronic file transfer means, or scan in mailed resumes. Key-word based search software may be used to pre-screen resumes based on job qualification data as represented by the job seeker. However, these means merely speed the transfer of data which is no more reliable, and do not avoid the inherent wastefulness of duplicated effort. Indeed, the Internet tends to foster puffing bordering on misrepresentation or fraud because of the ease of communication, the relative anonymity, and the xe2x80x9cif-it-is-printed-it-looks-truexe2x80x9d phenomenon
There are conventional services to assist job seekers and employers, such as employment agency job listings, and professional recruiters. However, job listings services simply make job opportunity information more available to job seekers, and do not produce more reliable resume data from employees. Professional recruiters and employment agencies can attempt to verify resume data to the extent that costs allow, but such xe2x80x9cverifiedxe2x80x9d data remains the proprietary work product of the agency or recruiter, and is not of value to either the job seeker or potential employers outside of the recruiter""s activities. Furthermore, the agency or recruiter does not have access to data previously verified by others in prior employment searches regarding the job seeker. In essence, the agency or recruiter must xe2x80x9cre-invent the wheelxe2x80x9d with respect to each item of resume data verified, at high cost. This cost inevitably must be borne by either the job seeker or the hiring employer.
What is needed, and is not available in the hiring and recruitment field, is a system for efficiently obtaining and maintaining reliable resume data pertaining to job seekers, without duplication and repetition of verification effort, so that the verification data may be used by multiple potential employers. What is also needed is a means of accomplishing the foregoing efficiently, quickly, and with a high degree of automation to provide high availability and affordability to both job seekers and employers.
Summary, Including Objects and Advantages
The Data Certification and Verification Process and System (DCVP) of the invention is a system and method for accumulating, verifying, certifying and maintaining in a readily available database, resume data pertaining to job seekers, so that the data may be searched and used by potential employers at the election of the prospective employee. The verification and certification of resume data creates a xe2x80x9cportablexe2x80x9d value-added attribute of each certified item of resume, so that certified attribute of the data item can be shared among several different potential employers during the course of a job search. The certified attribute of the data may also be maintained through time as a person travels along a career ladder, with updating data items being certified as needed.
The DCVP of the invention is preferably primarily an Internet-based system and operation, residing on a provider""s Internet server providing database storage, processing capability, access, and security. The DCVP also provides for interaction with other server-based applications such as E-mail services, credit/debit card processing, and accounting, reporting and statistical functions. The DCVP is preferably carried out by a dedicated service provider, known as a Data Certification and Verification Service (DCVS).
The preferred embodiment of the DCVP of the invention comprises a data base system providing for interactive access of multiple parties and categories of parties, in addition to the system administrator DCVS. In the preferred embodiment, the respective categories of parties with access may each have the same or differing scope of access, differing powers to create and edit records and differing powers to alter the access and powers of other parties. For each category, the scope of access and powers may be constrained by rules-based limitations governing the status of each party (membership agreement provisions and status). In particular, the primary source data (resume information relevant to job qualifications) may be contributed by Job Seekers, who create personal database records. Job Seekers also may establish search criteria for matching with corresponding criteria supplied by potential employers (Employer Members).
The DCVS, in turn, contributes value-added attributes to the personal database records (resume verification and certification status), either directly, or by action of third-party verification service contractors (VS). When third-party VS are employed, the DCVS assigns specific unverified resume data records to a particular VS. The VS, in turn, has access to assigned resume records, and has the power to contribute verification attributes (verification status) and/or comments regarding the same, such as degree of verifiability for each resume data item.
A Job Seeker may grant powers to specifically-selected potential employers (Employer Visitors) to allow read-only access to their particular certified resume record, and may disable or deny access, as desired. Other potential employers (Employer Members) have powers to search the database of all active (not-disabled) certified resume records according to matches of Job Seeker supplied criteria with member-supplied search criteria, and to view the resumes found. Alternatively, Employer Members have powers to search the database of all such non-disabled resumes, for example on a key-word, audio track, visual images, etc. basis based on resume content.
Both Job Seekers and Employer Members may be required to report successful hiring by means of the certified resume, pursuant to membership commission agreements.
Availability of access to the DCVS is preferably maximized by the action of referrals of Job Seekers and Employer Members by means of hyperlinks in third party websites (Marketing Partners). Such third-party referrals may be by commission agreement, in which case the Marketing Partner may attach an identifying code to the referral URL to allow the referrals from each such Marketing Partner to be tracked by the DCVS. The URL codes may also be tracked by the DCVS in relation to a particular Job Seeker or Employer Member record, for purposes of results-based commission calculations.
The DCVS preferably acts as a continuing certifying and secure custodial entity for the verified resume database records, in which any Job Seeker-initiated changes or additions are re-verified. This vital custodial security function provides assurance to potential employers that the value-added attribute of verification of resume data is not compromised.
In other words, the DCVS may in general provide a custodial xe2x80x9cescrowxe2x80x9d for data of many different kinds, useful in the presently preferred embodiment of the DCVP and in the alternative DCVP embodiments discussed below. The DCVP functionality includes providing security against tampering, contamination, or destruction of data (data xe2x80x9cvaultxe2x80x9d protection). The DCVP may provide controlled data contribution access, controlled data attribute modification (such as verification status, approval status, and the like). The DCVP may include timed data access controls (time-sensitive data exchanges or publications). The DCVP may provide for data management based on mutually agreed instructions from multiple independent parties in business transactions (for example, source code preservation and protection, xe2x80x9cdue diligencexe2x80x9d data in corporate merger negotiations, and the like). This flexible xe2x80x9cescrowxe2x80x9d functionality of the DCVP permits interacting parties to maximize added data value and to preserve the value of the data.
In the preferred DCVP embodiment, the DCVS therefor serves as a common and continuing resource (within the record enablement powers reserved to the Job Seeker) for potential employers to obtain reliable information on which to base hiring decisions.
Likewise, Job Seekers are assured that the personal resume maintained in the database will remain available, as needed during their careers, with the value-added verification and security attributes uncompromised. The additional re-verification costs of maintaining the resume in certified status will thus be limited to new or update items only.
The high degree of Internet interface communication and server-based processing in the DCVP permits fast and cost-effective operation, including the accumulation of a large and industrially relevant resume database, efficient verification process, and broad access to verified, secure resume data by potential employers. For this reason, as well as due to the savings from avoided duplication of effort, the costs of resume verification using the preferred DCVP of the invention is far less than the commissions charged to Job Seekers and/or Employers by traditional employment agencies or recruiters.
The terms DCVS and DCVP as used herein are intended as generic terms for the processes, methods, and combination of computer hardware, software and communication means of the invention. The term DCVS is generally used to indicate a preferred automatic server-based computer process administered by the DCVS, unless the context implies a manual or discretionary operation by DCVS staff. The method and process steps and algorithms of the present invention can be executed by means of means of software running on a suitable processor (in particular, a processor of a general purpose computer), or by any suitable combination of hardware and software. When software is used, the software can be accessed by a processor using any suitable reader device which can read the medium on which the software is stored.
Typically, the DCVP of the invention is implemented by code written in conventional computer or device languages. The software may be stored on any suitable computer readable storage medium. The computer readable storage medium can include, for example: magnetic storage media such as magnetic disc or magnetic tape; optical storage media such as optical disc, optical tape, or machine readable bar code; solid state electronic storage devices such as random access memory (RAM) or read only memory (ROM); or any other physical device or medium employed to store a computer program. The software carries program code which, when read by the computer, causes the computer to execute any or all of the steps of the methods disclosed in this application.